By BOB MARTIN
Eagle Times Staff
NEWPORT, N.H. — The Newport School District is looking into building a new playground at Richards Elementary School that is Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant, after the school board granted approval to move forward with research and finding donations.
“Richards Elementary School Playground, which is a school and community playground, is not a playground that is handicap accessible,” Superintendent Donna Magoon said. “There are wood chips that often get thrown and some of the equipment is more of what you’d use at your home.”
She told the board that they are looking at the potential for building a new playground and have already met with someone to design it. Magoon said they would like to talk to local businesses for donations so it will be no cost to taxpayers.
“We’d like to move forward with the process to see the actual cost of everything,” Magoon said. “We’re looking into putting it in steps and the goal would be to start in the spring and move forward so that way we have a playground that is handicap accessible and available to all our students.”
Vice Chair Kathryn Boutin asked if the current playground is breaching any laws, and Magoon said that it would be due to ADA violations.
Board member Melissa Mitchler asked about the climbing wall that was purchased in the past, but not yet installed. Magoon said there were plans, but it is not only expensive to install, but also various legal liabilities as it would not be supervised at night. Magoon said there is a plan, however, to move the structure inside to be used for physical education classes. She added that it is currently in storage.
Magoon said she was recently at an event through the Crotched Mountain Foundation grant, and she spoke with other leaders of school communities that installed a new playground, as well as those who have installed them. The area for the potential has been assessed, Magoon said, and there is a tentative plan she needs to discuss with the designer.
“I’m hoping that when we come back in January, I’ll have more information because I’ll be able to have met with the person,” Magoon said.
The board voted 4-0 to give consent to the district to move forward.
